Physiotherapy traction table



April l952 o. HASTINGS ET AL 2,593,575

PHYSIOTHERAPY TRACTION TABLE Filed Aug. 29. 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 M3, MW

April 1952 o. HASTINGS ET AL 2,593,675

PHYSIOTHERAPY TRACTION TABLE Filed Aug. 29, 1949 2 swans-swam 2 /4 grmlllllliiiiiiiii I Him.

25 25 aa/z l men 7M5. 0/1445 1. 62150165,

jvrj.

,drmmviy Patented Apr. 22, 1952 rnrsrorrrunery TEACTEON TABLE Orville L. Hastings and Forrest H. Vaughn,

Long Beach, Calif.

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a physio-therapy traction table wherein intermittent traction is imparted to the patient strapped to the table.

An object of our invention is to provide a novel physio-therapy traction table in which the parts can be readily adjusted to the patient, and also the amount of pull or traction can be adjusted to suit the particular patient.

A feature of our invention is to provide a novel physio-therapy traction table which will effectively manipulate the various joints in the skeleton and also the various vertebrae in the spinal column.

Still another object of our invention is to provide a novel physio-therapy traction table which is simple in construction, efiective in operation and beneficial to the patient.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of our physiotherapy table with parts broken away to show interior construction.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view as observed from line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective of the head clamp.

Figure 5 is a view of the gear train as viewed from line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the foot clamp.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral I indicates a fiat horizontal table, which is supported on the legs 2. tal rods 3-4 are slidably mounted below the table top I and these rods are mounted for reciprocal movement in the bearings 4-5.

A head strap 6 consists of an arm i, which is fixedly attached to the outer end of the rods 3, preferably by fixedly securing the arm 1 to a transverse plate 8 on the outer ends of the rods 3. A chin harness 9 of usual and well known design is securegl to the arm I and engages the chin of the patient, substantially as shown in Figure 1. A head rest It] is secured to the table top I by means of the "bracket I I, which is bolted or otherwise secured to the table top I, or depending parts thereof. A second set of rods I 2I2, of which there may be one or more, are slidably mounted One or more horizon- 2 under the table top I and are preferably in alignment with the rods 3. The rods I2 are journalled in bearings I3-I4 secured to the bottom of the table top. 7

A foot clamp I5, of usual and well known design, is adjustably secured to the rods I2 in the following manner: A sleeve I5 encircles the rods I2 and a finger I'I rises from the sleeves and. is attached to the foot clamp I5 in a suitable manner. The finger I'I extends through a slot I8 in the table top I and longitudinal adjustment of the foot clamp I5 is accomplished relative to the table top I, by means of the screw I9, which threads through the sleeve IE and is rotatably mounted in the end plate 28 on the rods I2. A hand wheel All permits the threaded screw I9 to be turned, thus longitudinally adjusting the carrier or sleeve It on the rods I2, as may be necessary to fit the patient.

The rods 3 and I2 are simultaneously moved in opposite directions and lengthwise of the table I to impart a traction or pull to the body of the patient strapped to this table. This is accomplished in the following manner: An electric motor 22 drives a pair of gears 2324 through the gear box 25. A pitman 26 is pivotally attached to the gear 23 and is also pivotally secured at its outer end to a clamp 2'I secured to the rods 3. The clamp 27 can be fixedly secured to the rods 3 by means of the screw 28. A second pitman 29 is pivotally secured at one end to the gear 24 and at its outer end to a clamp 39 adjustably secured to the rods I2. The clamp 30 is adjustably fastened to the rods I2 by means of the screw 3| and thus the rods 3 and I2 can be moved lengthwise of the table top I permitting of a tension or traction adjustment to suit the Particular patient.

Operation-The patients head is held in the harness 9 and the feet are secured in the rest I5 by means of suitable straps, or the like. The foot rest I5 is adjusted lengthwise 'by means of the wheel 2! until the patients body is substantially under tension on the table. The motor 22 is now started and as the gears 2324 rotate, the pitman 2629 will alternately move the rods 3 and I2 outwardly and inwardly, thus imparting a slight but continuous traction or pull on the patient, thereby manipulating the various joints, such as the spinal vertebrae, which is beneficial in certain instances.

Having described our invention, we claim:

' A physio-therapy traction table comprising a table top, a pair of rods journalled on said table and slidable endwise thereof, a foot clamp mounted on one of said rods, a head clamp mounted on the other of said rods, an electric motor mounted on the table top, a pair of pitmans reciprocally driven by said motor, a clamp encircling each of said rods, means adjustably securing each of the clamps to said rods, said pitmans being pivotally attached one to each of said clamps, means to adjust said foot clamp on a rod comprising a sleeve encircling the rod and rising therefrom, a finger extending from the sleeve and attached to the foot clamp, and a screw REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 10 file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 901,628 Langworthy Oct. 20, 1908 15 1,142,422 Hawley June 8, 1915 1,239,522 Rock Sept. 11, 1917 

